Student Case Study: Low Back Pain and Scoliosis

Neurosomatic Therapy for Low Back Pain on a patient with Scoliosis: A Case Report

Richard Storey

Abstract:

The purpose of this study was to identify and treat the cause of back pain with a young, active, and healthy individual diagnosed with scoliosis. The goals of the treatments were to relieve the patient’s pain through massaging specific muscles that may be causing their pain. The patient is a 25 year old engineer who participates in weight lifting and electro muscle stimulation strength training 2-3 times a week. She has struggled with back pain since she was a teenager and members of her immediate family also diagnosed with scoliosis struggle with the similar issues. 84 measurements were taken of the patient to evaluate her body position when standing, seated, and in a supine position.(16) Patient had a high degree of pelvic flexion (13-18 degrees) after taking both hip flexion measurements with a goniometer. Her range exceeded the normal range for a female of 10 degrees. A prominent tilt of the pelvis presented a superior left at both Anterior Superior Iliac Spine (ASIS) and Posterior Superior Iliac Spine. The patient’s treatments were focused on two main areas. The muscular regions of the lumbar spine that may be hypertonic and muscles contributing to the flexion of her pelvis. The patient recorded subjective information relating to her pain on Back Bournemouth questionnaire and Quadruple Visual Analogue Scale. Both were used to document patient’s perceived progress of pain. Both showed a significant decrease from the first session on 1/3/2017 to the last session on 2/3/2017.